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All the United States Illinois Niles Leaning Tower of Niles

Leaning Tower of Niles

Half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa built to honor Galileo.

Niles, Illinois

Added By
anhie
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  http://www.flickr.com/photos/63543004@N00/...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/63543004@N00/...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/kestenbaum/73...
Plaque lists the tower’s dimensions, purpose, and honors Galileo   http://www.flickr.com/photos/kestenbaum/73...
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque on Tower   Ventress / Atlas Obscura User
Photograph of the Leaning Tower of Niles slightly obscured by surrounding trees   Rachael the Explorer / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
04/15/2023   alittlebrowndog / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
6-11-23   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
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About

For those who have yet to make it to Pisa, Italy, the Leaning Tower of Niles, located in Niles, Illinois, provides a similar—albeit scaled down—experience of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Located just outside the city of Chicago, the Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-sized replica of the famous tower in Pisa. It is made of steel, concrete and precast stone and is 94 feet (28 m) tall with a 7.4-foot (2.2 m) tilt. Completed in 1934 by Robert Ilg, the Niles tower was originally intended to store water for public swimming pools and to serve as a recreation park for the employees of the Ilg Hot Air Electric Ventilating Company.

Ilg also erected the utility tower as a monument to honor the famous astronomer Galileo, who was rumored to have utilized the original Tower of Pisa in his physics experiments. The land was donated to the YMCA in 1960 and, in 1991, the town of Niles became a sister city to Pisa, Italy.

Today, the Leaning Tower YMCA consists of four fountains, a 30-foot pool and a plaque on site that reads: "This tower is dedicated to all who contribute and strive to make this earth and its unlimited resources, materially and scientifically a better place for mankind."

Related Tags

Replicas Statues Architectural Oddities Architecture

Community Contributors

Added By

anhie

Edited By

Darrell Powers, alittlebrowndog, Rachael the Explorer, Ventress

  • Darrell Powers
  • alittlebrowndog
  • Rachael the Explorer
  • Ventress

Published

February 19, 2010

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Sources
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2092
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Niles
  • http://www.examiner.com/x-19075-Exploring-Chicago-Examiner~y2009m11d8-The-Leaning-Tower-of-Niles--looming-over-Touhy-Avenue-for-75-years
  • http://brandeeshafer.blogspot.com/2013/07/family-vacation-2013-chicago-land-pt-2.html
Leaning Tower of Niles
6300 Touhy Avenue
Niles, Illinois, 60714
United States
42.012545, -87.784054
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